Blood script
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996) |appearances = • • }} Nosgoth's Blood script was a Nosgoth alphabet/written language, occasionally encountered in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance. It was based on the real-world Elder Futhark runic alphabet. Profile In Blood Omen, Kain could encounter many 'messages' written in a strange alphabet - Blood Script. Once he was strong enough, Kain could return to his Mausoleum and move some boulders to find a book which showed a guide to deciphering the rune symbols. Blood Script in Blood Omen was a straight forward 22 letter alphabet (K and C share a symbol and the alphabet misses out Q,V and X) that can be translated to English. Kain found Blood Script Runes in the Cemetery and on the Moon Gate leading to the Lightning Spell. It was also shown in some [[Events of Blood Omen|events of Blood Omen]] maps.Futhark Runes at The Lost WorldsBlood Script at Dark Chronicle Blood Script returned in Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance, where it was modified slightly become based on phonetic sounds rather than specific letters. Writing on Kain's tomb was written in Blood Script. Development Daniel Cabuco, a Legacy of Kain series artist and Legacy of Kain: Defiance art director, shared an anecdote explaining the appearance of the "Wendler's monument" inscription in Soul Reaver 2. It was a reference to fellow team member and artist Jacob Wendler: Notes It is unclear how Nosgoth's Blood Script relates to its other languages, signs are written using the 'Latin' alphabet and Kain refers to a Latin-like language as the Ancient Tongue and Blood Script is obviously distinct from this. Blood Script is based on real life Futhark Runes of Norse and Germanic tribes that may have been used to help enhance the 'Medieval' feel of Blood Omen.It is unclear how Blood Script relates to the similar concept of the Lovecraft's Diary language. Blood Script is presumably a Human language due to its usage, though certain mentions of a prophecy at the Lightning gate hint at an older explanation. There are several Runic Symbols throughout the series that resemble Blood Script, but are not included in its decoder and whose meanings are left unexplained (such as the symbols in the Subterranean Pillars Chamber). It may be the Ancient vampires used similar runic symbols. The names of Blood Omen developers appeared in Blood Script in the Cemetery in Blood Omen. In the Time-Streaming Chamber located in the swamp there are runes which seem to roughly translate as "Wendlers Monument" apparently in reference to artist Jacob Wendler. Gallery File:BO1-Render-Miscellaneous-BloodScript.png|The blood script cipher in Kain's Mausoleum (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-BenSzymkowiak.png|"RIP Ben Szymkowiak Jan 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-JackMeier.png|"RIP Jack Meier June 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-JasonEpps.png|"RIP Jason Epps May 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-JoshRose.png|"RIP Josh Rose June 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-JoshuaMarks.png|"RIP Joshua Marks July 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-LyleHall.png|"RIP Lyle Hall July 1994" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-MadelineCanepa.png|"RIP Madeline Canepa July 1996" File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-MarkWallace.png|"RIP Mark Wallace Jan 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-MikeTweedle.png|"RIP Mike Tweedle July 1995" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-RandyKomisar.png|"RIP Randy Komisar July 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-RodneyRapp.png|"RIP Rodney Rapp Apr 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-RossCutler.png|"RIP Ross Cutler Aug 1995" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-ScottCollie.png|"RIP Scott Collie May 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-DeveloperHeadstone-TonyBarnes.png|"RIP Tony Barnes Oct 1996" (BO1). File:BO1-Render-Miscellaneous-Lightning.png|"He will come when the moon is full and learn to call death from the sky" (BO1). File:SR2-Defiance-FutharkCipher.jpg|The blood script cipher used in Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance. File:SR2-Texture-SarafanStronghold-WendlerMonument.png|Approximately, "Wendler's monument" (SR2). File:Defiance-Texture-Cemetery-HereLiesKain.png|Approximately, "here lies Kain" (Defiance). Defiance-Texture-Cemetery-RestInPeace.png|Approximately, "rest in peace" (Defiance). See also *Arcane symbols *Ancient tongue *Feral humans' language *Lovecraft's Diary *Meridian's written language * Blood Omen: Nosgoth's Blood Script at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn). * Futhark Runes at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln). References Browse Category:Mythology Category:Mythology/Narrative Category:Browse Category:Blood Omen Category:Defiance Category:Soul Reaver 2